Film developing, fixing, and washing apparatus.



P. F. 1W6. FILM DEVELOPING, FIXING, AND WASHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22, 1910 1,000,287, Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

HBBTSSHEET FILM DEVELOPING, FIXING, AND WASHING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 22,1910 1,000,287.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911 java/Z2 02; f ed'eizima FREDERICK FRANCIS NYC, 0F KERRVILLE, TEXAS.

FILM DEVELOPING, FIXING, AND WASHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. August 22, 1910. Serial No. 578,280.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK F. N336, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kerrville, in the county of Kerr and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Film Developing, Fixing, and Washing Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to photography and particularly to a combined film developing, fixing and washing tank, and the purpose of the same is to furnish a convenient mode of developing, fixing and washing films in a more satisfactory and reliable manner and enabling an operator to obtain the very best results. By using this tank or developing apparatus the dark room I becomes merely a place for loading the tank,

as' 'all the remaining. operations of developing, fixing'and' wash ngare efiected in the With this and other objects and advantages in view the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed.

2 is atop plan view of the tank or apparatus showing the cover of the main receptacle re- 'm oved. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic sectional elevation infull and dotted lines and illustrating the manner of removing the film from the tank or apparatus. Fig. dis a detail elevation of a portion of the film supporting coil. 1

. The tank or apparatus embodies essentially areceptacle or maintank 5, preferably constructed .of copper and having a removable lid or cover 6 with an air vent 7 and a Z-shaped. funnel 8 also supplied with a removable cover 9. Within the receptacle or main tank 5 isa metal coil 10 and cooperating therewith are clamps 11 which are used to removably secure the film at its extremities to the coil. The tank or apparatus also includes in equipment a film removing device 12 to facilitate, the withdrawal of the film from the receptacle or main tankafter it has been subjected to the "from' the receptacle or tank 'as to avoid any possible injury to the film and maintaining the parts thereof in such relation as to obviate injury to any part of the film. The Z-shaped funnel 8, which is used as an ingress means for the developing and fixing solutions into the tank and also for the introduction of water to wash the films, is constructed in the particular form specified to prevent light from entering the receptacle or main tank and especially to obviate fogging the film by actinic light. By the use of this form of funnel all the operations necessary to the full development of the film may .be performed indaylight without necessity of'entering a dark room, the single cepted. It will be observed that the lower end of the funnel 8 connects with the side of the tank 5 adjacent the bottom of the latter for obvious advantageous reasons.

The coil 10 is preferably constructed of copper and has formed therein a plurality of openings 13, see Figs. 3 and 4, and is also preferably crimped as at 14 regularly throughout the length thereof. The openings 13 permit a'free circulation of the several liquids introduced into the tank through the coil to facilitate the developing, fixing and washing of the film, and the crimped portions of the coil provide outstanding projections against which the duplex paper at the non-sensitive side of the film has hearing so as to reduce the surface. contact of the film relative to the coil as much as possible and also position the film on thecoil at a distance from the latter or to provide a space between the outer side of the coil and the non-sensitive side of the film, such osition of the film giving the best results 1n the developing, fixingand washing operations. The coil 10 has a fixed position within-the receptacle or main tank 5, and when the film is applied thereover the ends of the said film are removably secured through the medium of the elongated wire clamps 11, the latter simulating hairpins in their contour and formed of resilient wire to set up the necessary binding action on the film and coil extremities. The film when applied to the coil is unsecured between the ends thereof, as clearlyshown by Fig. 2, the clamps 11 having been found suflicient to hold the film in position'during the several operations to which it is subjected.

The film removing device 12 consists of an elongated U-shaped wire body 15 from the horizontal member of which a plurality of chains or analogous flexible devices 16 are suspended at intervals and carry clasps 17 at their lower ends, the number of chains or flexible devices and clasps used corresponding to the number of spiral convolutions intersecting one of the diameters of" the receptacle or main tank, there being six convolutions as shown and the same number of clasps. It will be understood, however, that the number of convolutions may be varied in accordance with the proportions of the receptacle or main tank and coil, and to accommodate this variation the clasps 17 may be increased. The maximum length of the film removing device 12 is such as to permit the legs 18 thereof to fit over di ametrically opposite portions of the'recep-. tacle or tank 5, andby this means the clasps 17 are suspended within said receptacle or I tank and brought in close relation to the upper edge portions of the film convolutions, care being taken in the application of the clasps to the film that the latter do not engage more than about one-eighth of an inch. of the top of the film so that the picture on the film will not be injured.

It is also proposed to heavily nickelplate all parts of the apparatus including the clamps 11 and film removing device 12 to prevent deterioration of the metal by the solutions brought into contact therewith durin the several operations of developing and xin the film. The film to be developed, xed and washed is inserted in the receptacle or main tank 5 in a dark room, the film being wound about the coil 10 with the duplex paper adjacent to the non-sensitive side of the film in contact with the projections formed by the crimps 14, the sensitive side of the film being outermost, and as hereinbefore explained, the extremities of the film are secured to the coil by pushing the clamps 11 downwardly thereover. After the film is inserted in the tank over the coil, the lid or cover 6 is tightly fitted or placed over the top of the tank or receptacle and the latter may be vented when found necessary through the medium of the air vent 7 which will be normally. closed. The main tank or receptacle in its covered condition, and having the film therein is then taken from the dark room and the developing and fixing solutions are introduced through 'the funnel 8 and likewise at the proper time the film may be washed by introduci'ng a washing liquid into the funnel. After the developing and fixing as well as the washing operations have been completed thelid or cover 6 is removed and the device 12 is disposed over the receptacle or tank, as shown by Fig. 4, and the clasps 17 are caused to engage upper edge portions of the films. After all of the clasps have been secured to the different portions of the film the clamps 11 are removed and the operator then grasps the horizontal portion of the device 12, as shown by Fig. 3, and withdraws the film from the tank or receptacle. In releasing the film from the device 12 it is conveyed over a basin of water and the clasps are successively detached and the film allowed to drop in'the water and may then be dried in the usual manner. I

In placing the undeveloped film in the tank or receptacle in the dark room, the film should be held in the left hand with the sensitive side turned away from the operator and the one endof the film, after it has previously been attached to duplex paper, is fastened to the coil, starting from the outermost end of the said coil and progressing toward the center of the tank or receptacle. Previous to the introduction of the film to the tank, it should be observed that the latter is thoroughly cleaned, and in placing the negative in the tank the operator should not permit his hands and fingers to touch the sensitive surface of the film more than is absolutely necessary. It will be understood that any developing and fixing solutions will be used and as the .liquids introduced through the funnelinto the tank or receptacle will stand at the same level in both the latter and said funnel, the operator will be enabled toyreadily ascertain when sufficient quantity of either the de veloping or fixing liquid has been poured into the funnel to efiect the operations sought.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the class specified, the combination of a main tank having a rigid coil fixed therein for removably receiving an undeveloped film and also provided with a Z-shaped funnel connectin with the side portion thereof, and provide with two elbows and means for closingthe tank.

2. In an apparatus of the class specified, a main tank having a film receiving coil mounted therein, the coil being of spiral form and immovably fixed in the tank the coilhaving outstanding project-ions, and tubular means having a plurality of angu= lar bends adapted for supplying the interior of the tank with developing, fixing and washing liquids.

3. In an apparatus of the class specified, a main tank having a film receiving spiral coil fixed therein for removably recelving an undevelo d filmand provided with a plurality o apertures therethrough at interand communicating with the latter near the bottom of the same.

4.- In an apparatus of the class specified, a

' main tank having a coil fixed therein and provided with aplurality of outstanding projections extending vertically thereover and perforations at intervals therein, the

- perforations being formed in the projections in the tank for application thereto of a film,

and removable clamping devices applied vertically over the upper edge of the coil and movable downwardly over the latter for engaging the extremities of the coil and film.

6. In an apparatus of the class specified, a main tank provided with closure means and a liquid introducing funnel having double angular elbows, and a film holding coil disposed in theitank and crimped at intervals to produce outer projections for engagement by the film.

7. In an apparatus of the class specified, a main tank having a film holding coil therein and means for introducing a liquid there into, and a film removing device consisting of an elongated U-shaped frame to fit over the tank and having a plurality of clasps suspended therefrom to engage different portions of the film.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK FRANCIS NYC.

Witnesses:

CHAs. SCHREINER, J-r., J. W. TAYLOR. 

